Wenger still enjoys the unequivocal backing of Arsenal’s majority shareholder Stan Kroenke, who is in no doubt the manager will sign a contract that has been on the table for months.

But Saturday’s humiliating 6-0 defeat at title rivals Chelsea has nonetheless sparked uncertainty about the Frenchman’s future.

And Arsenal have started looking at contingency strategies should he make a last-minute U-turn and quit the Emirates. A long-term plan for life after Wenger is also in the club’s thoughts, with a new-look management structure likely.

Roberto Martinez’s work in his first season at Everton has impressed the Gunners, as has Jurgen Klopp’s reign at last season’s Champions League runners-up Borussia Dortmund.

Implementing a two-tier structure, which would see a head coach working under a director of football, is under consideration and would represent a huge shift in ethos. Wenger currently has the final say on all football decisions.

Down: The defeat was Arsenal's heaviest at Stamford Bridge and Jose Mourinho's biggest as Chelsea boss

Faith: Wenger took charge of his 1,000th Arsenal game at Chelsea on Saturday

Humiliation: Arsenal were hammered 6-0 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon

Victory over Swansea would help draw a line under Saturday’s embarrassing loss but the Gunners go into the game without key defender Laurent Koscielny, who sustained a calf injury at Stamford Bridge.

It is feared the France centre back could miss around two weeks, ruling him out of the crunch match against Manchester City on Saturday.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs will be available, however, after the FA upheld Arsenal’s appeal over the latter’s controversial sending-off against Chelsea. Gibbs was shown the red card in a case of mistaken identity by referee Andre Marriner. Oxlade-Chamberlain, not his team-mate, had committed handball in the six-yard box.

Overturned: Arsenal launched two successful appeals against Kieran Gibbs' sending off at Chelsea

Identity crisis: Gibbs was sent off, even though it was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who handballed

Back in action: Oxlade-Chamberlain (above) and Gibbs are both available for Arsenal's game against Swansea

Arsenal’s claim that Oxlade-Chamberlain had not prevented a clear goalscoring opportunity, because Eden Hazard’s shot was going wide, was also upheld by the FA.

Referee Marriner stays on the Premier League match list this weekend and will take charge of Newcastle’s visit to Southampton.

Marriner was expected to be dropped for the next round of fixtures following his high-profile blunder but referees chiefs decided to stand by their man.

Let off: Andre Marriner will take charge of Southampton against Newcastle this weekend